Today ten NGOs, including Enough, Humanity United, Human Rights Watch, Save Darfur Coalition, Genocide Intervention Network, Physicians for Human Rights, American Jewish World Service, Investors Against Genocide, and i-Act/Stop Genocide Now, released a major policy paper calling on the Obama administration to apply firm benchmarks to Sudan to prevent much broader conflict. In its Sudan policy review completed in mid-October 2009, the Obama administration indicated it would regularly assess the progress of peace in Sudan—or lack thereof. But the administration has not publicly disclosed precisely what benchmarks it is applying to assess progress in Sudan, even as it begins its official review process this month and as tensions increase across Sudan.

To help bring transparency to the process by which the United States ensures strict adherence to unambiguous benchmarks, and ensure that the appropriate pressures and incentives are applied accordingly, "Clear Benchmarks For Sudan" aims to provide guidance for how officials, concerned citizens, and others in the international community can assess genuine progress toward a lasting peace in Sudan.

In addition to today's release, Sudan Now, a coalition of Sudan advocacy groups, ran a new advertisement in the Washington Post. Click here to view the ads.

Take Action

1. As constituents who don't have access to these high level policy officials, it's important that we use every tool at our disposal this week to increase the pressure on these individuals. Call 1-800-GENOCIDE (1-800-436-6243) today to ask your member of Congress to contact the Deputies and ask them to implement clear benchmarks for Sudan.

2. Update your status on Facebook with the following information, urging your friends to do the same.

"This week senior U.S. Government officials will meet to review Sudan policy. Become a fan of the State Department